The Sunlit City of Dark
by Artic Dragon
Summary: There was this girl, and she was really pretty. But she's broken, and that's why she is going to die" a broken Bella is helpless and vulnerable in L.A., and they help the helpless. Sound familiar?
1. Seeing

Hey there fanfic readers! This is my first twilight fic! I hope you enjoy. I also hope that the first part wouldn't be too confusing. If it is, I'm sorry.

DISCLAIMER: I have about as much of a chance of owning Twilight as there is a chance of Angel ever kicking that craving of blood.

PROLOGUE:

None of the visions she had experienced before had seemed so…. Heartbreaking.

The woman who was currently in the thrall of a premonition stood shocking still (For someone with her personality, standing still WAS shocking) as sights, smells, sounds and even feelings blazed through her mind at the speed of light. If it was on a Television screen the overall effect would have been to brief for the average viewer to fully decipher it's meaning, or to recall it all. But fortunately, it wasn't a T.V. screen, and she wasn't the average viewer. The visions that were 'gifted' to her had a way of stamping themselves into her memory until she no longer needed them.

But she wasn't likely to forget this one for awhile.

The second that her senses were her own, she was off, dashing out of her room and through the hallways of the place she considered home. Hurtling full tilt down the stairs, she neatly sidestepped the couple lounging at the bottom. She smiled to herself as they both shot her looks of confusion.

_They look so cute together, it's unbelievable. Especially considering the fact that she…._

They were also very distracting , she reasoned, as she ploughed into the very thing that she had been looking for. The thing that had gorgeously toned arms and eyes that looked into your soul. And the rock hard abs, she winced as he put her right before she had the chance to fall. Pity about the fact that she couldn't use him to shield her from a blizzard. She'd freeze the second he put his arms around her in a snowstorm.

He was looking at her concernedly, trying to figure out if her brains had bounced around her skull as well as she had off him. The others had come up behind her, asking the usual are you alright kind of questions.

"Angel." She had effectively hushed them all with that one word. "Angel, I saw something."

"What did you see Cordy?" he asked softly but urgently as he pulled out a notepad from who-knows-where.

"There was a girl, and she's so pretty but…"

"But what, Cordy?" A firm edge is worked into his voice.

"She so broken, and that's why she's going to die."

END PROLOGUE

I'll try and get the next part up soon alright? I accept constructive criticism only. Flames would be fed to my German Sheppard (and well, so you see Mr. Vet person sir, that's the reason why she's been getting all these stomach-aches lately).


	2. Meeting

Well, Im Kind of surprised. I didnt quite expect for so many people paying attention to my little drabble. Sorry that it took so long for me to update on it: Life decided it wanted to go full-boar towards chaos for awhile. But hey, moments like this, writing and typing, can be pretty therapeutic.

For some reason, Im typing this out while listening to the war of the worlds. The Jeff Wayne Version, NEVER the movie. Ugh. Ive decided to try and write this out as a collection of one-shots, if you know what I mean.

DISCLAIMER: I have about as much as a chance of owning Twilight or Angel, as Angel does of being able to headline in Vegas.

Chapter One: Arrival

Los Angeles was thrumming with life, she summed up in her mind. It didnt matter that she was no where near Hollywood -In fact, she was a bit closer to Disneyland judging by her map (She had spotted a sign with Pomona written on it)- Or even the time of the day (Twilight, 6 at night maybe, her watch had broken before she had left, so she wasnt sure) It didnt change the amount of energy being _pulsed _through the streets, through the buildings themselves. All in all, she reasoned, it was a different city than Phoenix and she didnt like it. Phoenix had thrummed with energy too, but it felt friendly, exciting, not like it was going to swallow you whole. It gave her a really bad feeling that magnified every moment that the skies got darker. It may be because she had never actually been to L.A. before, or because she was used to Forks Bella frowned and fought back tears as she walked.

She shouldnt have thought about Forks. Forks was full of memories. Bad ones, and good ones which hurt all the more because they seemed to intensify the bad ones somehow, like sitting outside with your Grandmother when you were young, talking about anything with her serving the best kind of lemonade and cakes. Unfortunately you remember this suddenly at the funeral and knowing that youll never be able to do that again just tears at you, rips you open and leaves you raw. That she could relate to. _That_ was part of the reason Bella had left. The other part was that Forks was full of danger that hadnt left, unlike _some_ things.

On second thought, the ripping and tearing could also relate to the dangerous part, especially when it was a little psychotic. Or animalistic, for that matter.

Bella sighed as she crossed the street towards the cheapest place for food she could find. It wasnt _fancy or drowning in gaudiness_, but it was edible-looking. But shed have to keep her eyes open for anyone recognizable. Not that it would really help if the _people _that she was partly expecting were going to be skulking around the corner of the next 7-11. So far, she had been as lucky as a highly un-coordinated girl can get.

Killing James last summer had the kind of consequences that followed you around, literally. They also werent the type to give consideration to the facts or circumstances. Even if she wasnt the one who tore his flesh and muscle, ripped the solid bones of his body from their sockets and set it all alight. To be fair, even _he_ wasnt the one to do so. Not the dismembering and burning anyway.

Bella quickly scanned the crowd as she opened the heavy metal door. Or she would have if there were actually three people more in the bar. So far, there was the Barman, and some guy looking slightly out of place sitting at one end of the bar, only focused on examining his whisky. From this angle she couldnt see his face, but she didnt know him. He was safe, for now. Bella hurried in, shut the door, and looked around. The inside was okay, tidier than what you would expect from the outside, but it was a little too dark for her tastes, enough to make her cagey-er. She sat down at the bar in a way that surprised the barman, kind of sliding in slowly, seeming to hesitate every inch more she slid. Old Jim had seen a lot of unusual folks in his years, but even the eccentric ones (he used the term loosely) didnt seem quite so _twitchy _to his weakening eyes. Best treat this one kindly he thought She must be a runaway. High schooler? He wandered over to the poor girl, trying to give her the best first impression that he could. It sort of worked, she only looked wary at the sight of him, not completely scared out of her wits.

What can I get for ya? Not that there is much in the way of culinary expertise here, but I try. That got him at least two seconds of her not searching the room, then after she seemed satisfied (with what, he wasnt sure, maybe no visible signs of Rats?) she replied.

Anything thats warm and filling, if you dont mind.

Well, we have maybe some pre-made apple pie. Or I could cook you up a burger and fries. Or maybe it would do you a world of good to eat both.

The girl gently placed her head onto the counter. Apple pie sounds good. Really hot please.

And to drink? She looked shocked Im only seventeen. the words slipped out before she could catch them.

He couldnt help it. He laughed his head off. Im aware of that young lady. Just because Im a barman doesnt mean that I cant serve non-alcoholic drinks ya know. Its required for the sober-drivers. He winked. Finally! A small twitch of the lips paid off his efforts. Got coffee? She asked.

Sure, but it tastes like crap. My only skills are in the cocktails.

If your definition of a cocktail is shots of whisky and the odd rum and coke Jim, you should take a refresher in bar managing. A voice from his left spoke up suddenly, as if it was waiting for an opportunity. Bella spared another glance to the man who she could see a little better sitting at the other end, even as Old Jim answered with a flourish and another wink. Well, considering those are the only things that youve ever ordered here pal, Im not surprised that you have no clue as to my extensive experience in creating masterful combinations of concoctions.

Well, youre probably right about that, I do like the whisky. Hurry up and give the girl a hot chocolate or something Jim, she looks like shell freeze tonight if she doesnt and I know thats a little better than the coffee The man slid closer to Bella as Jim agreed and quickly served her the order. Bella didnt look up until she had finished most of it and paid Jim what she owed. She then took a chance to look closer at the man almost waiting patiently, taking in his features. She realized at this point that she would have protested him ordering for her if he didnt Oh shit. It was just like a slap in the face. Bella looked on in shock. It couldnt be but it wasnt but it _was_. No it just _couldnt_, it _wasnt_.They didnt look alike and yet they looked so _alike. _It mightve been the expression on his face, that _intensity _and _dangerousness _that he had, totally focused on her and here she goes, trying not to hyperventilate in front of this guy who couldnt be but is throwing her for a loop because theres like _his_ spirit imprinted on the aura around him and he has almost the same degree of otherworldly magnificence-

Hey are you alright? He asked as she paled at the sight of him and latched a hand onto the counter, putting her head between her knees. She was about to pass out from shock. Jim looked over the hunched form worryingly as the male aura-twin got up quickly and knelt in front of Bella . He put his hands on her knees to make her look at him and it made it worse because he was cold to the touch and oh my god why does everything have to remind her- She fell out of the chair trying to get away from him but wanting to stay because it was _familiar. _Hey, whats wrong? She couldnt help it because he looked so genuine looking at her like _him _and she was so confused-

Edward. She gasped aloud, and there is no word to explain how much pain she was at that moment, the pain that had _never died away._

Edward? The poor man looked terribly confused with all his incredible handsomeness. No, my name is Angel and Im here to help you Bella. She looked up in complete shock. He shouldnt know her. Angel held out a hand to her. Please, trust me.

Edward what should I do?

CHAPTER END

Well, hopefully that wasnt too bad, I know it was a little quick. Forgive me? I will try to get the next one up before my August 8th I promise! Please review!


	3. Offering

Okay, I have the third chapter up FINALLY! Sorry it took so long, but my health and employment situation stinks at the moment. Im not sure about what happened to those speech marks in the last chapter, but I will try to fix it. But as a certain reviewer decided to inform me whilst commenting on my ability to write (which is sad considering their grammar) something is cutting out my punctuation marks, so I'l upload this again.

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Buffy, Angel or Twilight I would make the following T-Shirt statement true: And then, Buffy staked Edward. The End.

Chapter two: Remembering

'Well, that could have gone better.' Angel surmised as he gently plucked the young woman off the ground she was crumpled upon. To be honest, he hadnt quite expected the reaction he had gotten from her: Recognition, then disappointment, as well as a healthy combination of confusion and heartbreak. The soulful vampire couldnt help but be confused himself: why would this young thing react like that? Did she really get him confused with this Edward guy?. Jim, the barman, made to move to the front to aid him, but the brunette waved her arm, as if telling him it was alright. She couldnt help but flinch though, when she felt Angels hand on her bare arm. It was colder than normal humans. Something about that made an alarm go off, but she was too focused on _him. Him _who was currently pushing towards her the Hot chocolate. She grasped it slowly and carefully, basking in the heat it gave off. She was also carefully scrutinizing both himself and the door. Angel noticed and smirked. Maybe she was considering throwing the Hot Chocolate in his face. Not that he couldnt dodge it, but hed prefer that Jim would be the only one in the room to know what he was.

"Im not some guy trying to pick you up you know." Bella looked scared, as if the thought had never occurred to her. The smirked widened at this. "Im just here to help." Hands held up in an 'I surrender' type pose. Bella narrowed her eyes on him. "You also said I could trust you." She ground out carefully, taking a sip of her beverage, wincing at the burn on her tongue. "Yep, I said that about five seconds ago." Angel remarked. Jim handed Bella some water for her burn, and she gulped it. "Why?" She demanded.

"Why what?"

"Why should I trust someone I just met? You could be a axe murderer for all I know." Angel raised an eyebrow at this. Did he look like the kind of guy would murder someone?. Hello, the one with the Angelic face here!. Never mind the fact that he regularly used a Battle Axe to eviscerate demons on cases.

"An Axe Murderer? Why not a Tonto murderer?" And there we have it ladies and gentlemen, the weirdest question that Bella Swan has ever been asked in her life. There was so much wrong with it. For starters, why and _what _was a Tonto? She shook her head in exasperation. THAT was an Emmett sentence. Emmett. The big brother she had always wanted. And now she wanted him here.

Angel observed as her face morphed from guarded to what?, then to utter sadness and happiness all mixed into one. He just knew he had to try and save this tormented girl. No, not _try. Trying _got you told off by a little green guy with a stick and mind powers. He had to _do._

"I cant really explain why, just let me say that there are things on Earth that most people dont understand. Whos and whats that bump. And Im one of the only ones that bump back, and therefore, your best bet to live."

Bella carefully mulled over his meaning, catching Jim as he simply nodded in response to what _Angel _not _Edward_ was saying. He was saying what she already knew. But then, how did _he _know? And why would he be her best bet against a psychotically gripped un-dead thing who was trying to kill her? Angel, in the meantime was glad that he didnt really need to breathe. That was more than he was used to saying with strangers, and it was a bit much.

"And what, Mr. Angel, would you be my best bet against?" Bella breathed out quietly. She wanted to trust this guy badly for some reason, but maybe he had a power of influence, like Jasper.

She had long felt badly for him, it wasnt his fault she was a klutz...

_"What_ever you are running from, Bella." Why wouldnt he say it aloud? Maybe he wasnt sure she was the girl he was looking for. But he had called her by her name. Maybe he wanted confirmation of her situation...

...so he could kill her. Bella went cold. As cold as his hand had been on his shoulder _oh no nono _Thats why. 'Oh Edward the very things you said I would forget about... are about to kill me.'

She spoke almost dejectedly. "Are you friends of theirs?" Angel's mind and mouth were in perfect synch.

"Huh?"

Okay.

She could handle being in danger, but playing like she was dumb toppled her fear over, for a moment.

She was tired of being scared. That was _it._

She threw the drink, right between the eyes, and like she expected him to, he dodged, revealing his true speed. The infamous Swan temper had enough of running away from dangerous, life-threatening situations. Combined with her mothers, you knew it was a force to be reckoned with.

"Your'e a vampire arent you? Victoria's friend or _whatever _you are to her and Laurent!!! They sent you to find me!" She stood up quickly and skirted around him as fast she could to the door. "_I _didnt kill him, why does she want me!?"

Part of Angels mind was still going 'huh?' but a small part was niggling at him, something to do with those names.

'Laurent, Victoria... James!' And abrasive memory abruptly shoved its way into the consciousness.

FLASH-BACK: April 1864, Waikato region, New Zealand.

The New Zealand Land Wars.

__

Slashing, Maiming cat-like forms sashayed and writhed with pleasure as they tore through the soldiers as they drank the life-liquid of those who had once been babes. Maori or Pakeha (Brit), there was none of that distinction to them, the cold ones. They tore throats, and simply left them to lie after they grew full. But that did not stop the killing, the slaughter. Death was an art form to these living dead for what could be more glorious that what they were?. But these spiritless corpses would not reach the pedestal they sat upon for they would not deign to bless them with this existence. For they, after all, were natives, and savages who had left their own homelands. The four figures merrily swung through the dwindling crowd that was starting to smell of demise

A lustful, flame-ridden crown of hair flickered in the night as its owner twisted and scratched with malevolent elegance that was matched only by her companions: A tracker with a possessive thrill for the hunt, a dark-skinned man dressed in finery: rare, and possibly unique. Finally, the last figure approached the others, the one who would eventually be cursed with a human soul: Angelus, the killer with a face of an angel.

Angel quickly darted forward, pulling Bella by the arm back towards her seat: ignoring the fuss she tried to kick up. "I knew you had a run in with a certain crowd, but I didnt think theyd be so _biting."_ He harrumphed, and placed her on the seat again, holding her wrist when she tried to get up again. Jim merely got up and started to mop up the mess, though he did frown at the grip Angel had on her. "Now you listen carefully." Jim stated to Bella as he was swishing and swooping. "Mr. Angel might be a vamp, but hes the best thing to hit this town in the years hes been here."

"Oh really?" Bella bit out, slightly miffed at the man for not coming to her aid.

"Yes, really." Angel kept holding the wrist, trying not to bruise, because that would be an excellent way of gaining trust wouldnt it? The creases on his brow deepened. "I dont know why you think I have anything to do with them now, but I did a long time ago." He knelt to eye level so that he could capture the gaze of those orbs. "We grew too different. They arent any friends of mine, and I wouldnt dream of giving them anything."

"How are you different?" Bella was still pulling, stubborn to the last. She was going to hurt herself if she kept this up, so Angel let go, but stayed on one knee.

"I was given a choice on what I wanted to do in life- sort of. I decided not to torment and kill humans. I eventually started a agency where we help the helpless as a friend would say." He smiled at the idea of those business cards, and the video ad that had been made. But James and the others, I found out, had always had that sort-of choice, they just didnt take it. They enjoyed killing innocent people. His face darkened in anger. "Victoria wants to kill you? Why you? No offence." Waving his hands in a dont kill me for asking gesture.

Bella sighed. "A mate for a mate, Laurent said. In fact, he planned on just feeding on me, and let me be thankful that Victoria didnt have a chance to get at me for what Edward had done."

"And Edward is?" The room was silent for a moment before:

"The guy who killed James to save me." Slightly shocking to Angel, who had thought of James as one of the best. But that wasnt all, was it? He peered into the face of a broken girl.

"And?"

"The guy who Victoria swears is my mate." Bella supplied hurriedly.

"Was he?" Angel was under the notion of this Edward guy being killed, to explain to himself the emotion that washed across Bellas face. She really loved him

"I thought he was." Bella trembled with tears shining through her eyes, but not letting them fall just yet, though her heart was being thoroughly slit and slashed every time his mere name was said. Didnt people die from this much pain?

"And?" So he wasnt dead, or permanent dead if you knew what he meant. But he could tell, that this was a huge part of her situation. Why wasnt he protecting her? Why was she alone?

"I was only a novelty for him." She whispered softly. One small tear fell, but only one.

He saw it all clearer than one of Cordys visions (Which was not really something to compare to, but you know).

This was why she could die.

She was only running, because there were people she loved, and didnt want to get hurt.

She was only keeping herself alive for their sakes.

But Bella wasnt going to fight hard enough if Victoria found her.

She didnt really care.

Because Edward broke her.

Because he told her that she was a novelty item.

Somehow, Angel doubted that it was really the case.

He didnt think that this Bella was just a novelty.

So he would fix her. But how?

Restore her confidence in herself first.

"Bella?" He asked. "How would you like to work for me?"

And that ladies and gentlemen, was about as far as I can go for now. Wfyl! (Write for you later) Rrn! (Review right now!)


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